Partner in Crime [bts; k.t.h]

XVII

A few groans.

Then a few more.

And another one before I bolted back to life with a gasp of breath. With my eyes wide open, I snapped my head back and forth, only to see dim light in a few corners. I jolted forward, only to be stopped by the rattle of the chains around me.

Freaking tied up again, I scoffed. It was only then I heard another groan, which made me look up to see Taehyung in a similar situation as mine – but he seemed to have had a harder time getting his sense back.

"Ey," I called out to him, careful to whisper so the echo won't be as loud. "Taehyung, what the hell?"

"Don't call me that." Was all he said, before looking up at me. I gasped. Blood covered majority of his face, his bottom was busted, and his clothes were practically ripped to pieces. I had been knocked out first, but it seemed Taehyung had fought for the both of us.

"Well, seems like you're awake." A hoarse voice called out from within one of the dim corners. A male, perhaps in his early twenties, with a lean build and mint hair, styled so that the sides were shaved off and the middle was swept to the side. Cigarette in hand, he approached me with a smug smile on his face. "Is this the runaway princess of the century?" He cupped my jaw with his hand, raising my face to the light. Just like Claire, he looked Western, and even the accent in his Korean proved it. "Meh." He forcefully let my head go, letting it droop to the side. As I eyed him with fear, I saw him strut over to Taehyung, whose head was hung low. With no communication, the male swung his knee towards Taehyung stomach area.

What kind of fuckery?! I struggled against the chains, not really sure why I couldn't at least yell for him to stop. Not even a peep came out of Taehyung as he lay on the ground, might as well being dead.

"Do you know how much trouble your little gang caused me?" The male let out a bitter laugh, kicking Taehyung. "Was it so hard to just give the necklace?" Not a word in return as he kept hitting him. His cigarette flew out his hand, in a near corner.

"STOP!" I roared, instantly feeling a metal hit my arm so that I fell over. The male stopped, slowly turning his body to face me. But he wasn't look at me – he was looking at whoever was behind me. "Did you just hit her?" The male made fast steps towards me, going right past to the person that was behind. I turned my head, making out the mint-haired male strangling the person who had hit me.

"G-Grey, I-I-I'm sorry." The person choked out, but the name he called stuck with me. So that little shit is Grey? "I thought I told you never to lay a hand on a woman?" Grey threatened, before slapping the person so that they fell to the ground.

"Anyways," Grey turned the two of us, "bring the camera, we have a little message to make for their buddies."

***

"Bring them food." Grey ordered a man, who nodded and ran off. During the "message", Grey had said to bring him my grandmother's necklace, or he'll keep on torturing Taehyung. "I'm too tired now," he had said, "we'll make a message to your daddy tomorrow." I hated how he treated me, even stroking my head at some point. I didn't feel like a person, I felt like a toy. He had given Taehyung and I a mattress to sleep on, and now some food. Taehyung's wounds were cleaned, but he still stayed unconscious.

Once the two of us were locked up in the room – with our chains now gone – I had given all of my attention to Taehyung. My mind kept wondering to the others, and how even I didn't know where the necklace was anymore. I played a bit with Taehyung's hair, thinking to myself that if he were awake right now, a remark or two would be made.

"My hair must be softer than your will power."

Like that. Wait what?

I nearly fell over from my crouching position, before Taehyung grabbed my arm and dragged me on top of him. I tried my hardest to not put all my bodyweight on him, going over to his side instead. I waited as his eyes fluttered open, blinking a bit before we made full eye contact. A soft smile made its way across his face, amused by my expression of mixed anger and worry.

"I'm alive--" I slapped his chest, not wanting jokes. He chuckled, "don't be mad. I'm fine now." He tightened his hold around me, until I could practically smell the rubbing alcohol that was used on the cut wound that formed on his chest.

***

I must've fell asleep like that, 'cause the next thing I knew I was dragged into a room and tied to a chair. "Let's make this more dramatic." Grey taped my mouth shut, then messed my hair up a bit. All while I death glared him, my confidence coming back.

"Roll it." Grey said in English. The camera stood before us on a tripod, all while Grey walked about. "Mr Park, it seems you might've lied." I winced at Grey's laugh, "isn't your daughter dead? The only heir?" He stroked my hair again, I swear I would bite his arm off if I could.

"I wonder who this is then?" Grey took the camera off the tripod, nearing in on me. "Here's the deal Mr Park," he circled around me, "we both know it won't look good if the public knows what really happened. Now, you have 48 hours. The choice is yours."

And then the video ended.